


In Cold Blood

by Zakodia



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: And he's not happy about it, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Thanatos is hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:00:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28354332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zakodia/pseuds/Zakodia
Summary: Following an accident on the surface, Thanatos finds Zagreus by his bedside for once instead of the other way around.What in gods name was he doing here?
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 239





	In Cold Blood

Thanatos struggled to open his eyes, he was unbelievably tired. It was almost like when his brother played pranks on him when they were kids, making him fall asleep whenever he wanted. He finally forced his eyes open and was confronted with the ceiling of his room. His room? The last thing he remembered was—Ares and the pain, intense overwhelming pain. He glanced down to see his midsection carefully bandaged but one side still stained with ichor. Gods what had happened to him? 

He heard a book close next to him as someone stood up.

“Oh thank gods you’re awake” said the voice, obviously worried.

Zagreus. 

What was _he_ doing here? Anger started mixing with the pain Thanatos was finally starting to feel again. He left without saying good bye and now he was convalescing by his bedside? 

He managed to turn his head to see Zagreus standing next to the bed. His skin was pale in the torchlight and his eyes were rimmed with red. Had he been crying? Not that it mattered to Thanatos, he had already cried a well of tears for Zagreus unbeknownst to him. He deserved a few tears from Zagreus on his behalf. 

“Than ... I—I was so worried about you,” Zagreus croaked out.

Than gritted his teeth and tried not to scream as he sat up. He couldn’t show Zagreus any more weakness, it was bad enough he had chased after Zag in Elysium and now he was playing nurse here in his room. 

“Why,” Thanatos struggled to speak. The pain was clouding his thoughts and the reaction he immediately had anytime he saw Zagreus wasn’t helping either. “Does it matter to you” he spat out. 

Zagreus stepped back, surprised. “Because I care about you Thanatos; I care about you a lot, I thought that was obvious.” his voice trailed off at the end and he looked away. Thanatos wanted to feel guilty, he wanted Zagreus to lie next to him and tell him everything was okay. But he couldn’t, he might as well have had a Centaur Heart the way Zagreus tore it out of him. He knew it was the pain talking but he couldn’t stop, he wanted Zagreus to know, to feel, as he felt. 

“You should have thought about that before you decided to leave.” he hissed, the pain forcing him back on the pillows.

The door closed loudly without another word. Thanatos sighed, he knew he shouldn’t have said it, but he was tired of pretending. 

Thanatos felt his eyes drooping closed as he fell asleep again. Images flashed through his dreams, Ares’ hand on his face, a golden sword in his side, Charon’s boat, being carried, Zagreus. A hand on his shoulder awoke him again, this time it was the concerned face of his mother that greeted him. 

“Mother” he said quietly as he reached for her hand. 

“I am glad to see you again, my child” a small smile crossed her face, “drink this” she pressed a small glass into his hand, “for the pain”.

Thanatos downed it in one gulp, it tasted absolutely awful, but he felt a little better at least for a moment.

“How did I get here?”

Nyx looked down, “You do not remember what happened,my child?”

“Only a little bit” he admitted

“You were struck by a mortal in his dying breaths with an enchanted sword. We assume he meant to strike Ares and did not realize his mistake. Hermes and Charon were able to bring you back to the House quickly but you had already been injured”

“My—my work” he said, suddenly remembering his responsibilities and the unintended consequences from the Sisyphus incident. 

Nyx shushed him and guided him back down to the bed, “it has only been a few days or nights, Hypnos and the Keres are working in your absence, and you will heal quickly”

Thanatos sighed and a wave of guilt overcame him. He shouldn’t have left himself vulnerable, he should have double checked the field, he shouldn’t have been—distracted.

“Mother, I am sorry this happened, it is my fault, I—I let Ares distract me” the memories had slowly been coming back to him. He was about to leave when Ares had tried to pull him in for a kiss and he had pulled back with stern words about where his priorities layed. He had been solely focused on Ares, he hadn’t sensed the soldier with the sword crawling towards him until it was too late. 

She shook her head, “then it is not your fault, the Olympians should not use their powers of trickery on other gods. It is beneath them” 

Thanatos nodded silently, no reason to explain further when Nyx had already made up her mind about the events.

They sat in silence as Nyx poured him a glass of water. His side was aching and for once he wanted to sleep. 

She finally broke the silence, “Thanatos, what did you say to Zagreus?” she said sternly, she treated Zagreus like her own child, Thanatos should have figured she would have something to say to him about his harsh words.

He sighed, collecting his thoughts again, but no words came. 

“As soon as he saw you were injured he refused to leave your side, he carried you here himself”

“He stopped trying to escape?” 

She nodded, “... For now; although I have heard him practicing in the courtyard for several hours. You have made him quite upset. I’m afraid”

“If he cares so much, why is he trying to leave us?”

He watched her face fall and knew he had spoken out of pain again. 

“If you feel this way, then why are you helping him Thanatos?”

Oh, so she knew about that. He should have expected as much, her power was greater than Hades’ and she had gotten very good at tracking him from when he started phasing as a child.

“I—I—I don’t know, mother” Thanatos stammered

“Oh my child, I think you do know” and in her face Thanatos saw his own feelings reflected. The pain of someone who had loved and lost. She squeezed his hand and a tear splashed his fingers. 

“Mother?” he asked softly

She shook her head and squeezed his hand tighter. 

Finally she spoke again, “Long ago I lost someone I loved without them knowing, and I pray for you it is not too late” she paused staring at something unknown to Thanatos “you help Zagreus in much the same way I still help them, because it is all we can do. Their mind is already made up” 

Thanatos nodded, he dared not ask who his mother was referring to, gods like them lived many lives. She had seen through him as she always could. He knew in his heart he could not stop Zagreus, but helping him provided a small comfort. A new wave of guilt washed over him as he remembered what he said before Zagreus left.

“Can you tell him I would like to see him again, to apologize?”

“I will try my child, but now you need to rest again” 

She gently kissed him on the forehead before shifting away, Thanatos felt himself drifting off again. This time he only dreamed of Zagreus. 

When he opened his eyes again there was a shadow in the corner of his room standing with their arms crossed against the wall. 

“Zagreus?” Thanatos ventured

“Thanatos.” he replied flatly

Thanatos tried to get out of his bed, he didn’t care how much it pained him. He hated this distance, he needed to be closer to Zagreus. To tell him how he felt, to look in his eyes.

Zagreus’ strong arms caught him before he hit the floor, he had dashed across the room so fast Thanatos hadn’t even recognized what was happening.

“Than—!” Zagreus yelled

Thanatos groaned as Zagreus gently put him back down on the bed.

“Thanks” he managed to gasp out in reply.

Zagreus sat in the chair with an exasperated sigh, “Than, please you have to rest” 

He stared, he could see the pleading and the pain in Zagreus’ mismatched eyes. He really was worried about him, Thanatos realized. His conversation with Nyx had changed his mind, but Zagreus’ eyes cemented it for him. He needed to be honest. 

“Zagreus, I would like to apologize for my harsh words earlier, Nyx told me what you have done for me since I returned and my words were not warranted” 

He watched Zagreus cross his arms and his heart fell, maybe he could not fix this. 

“But is that how you really feel? Or did Nyx just tell you to apologize?”

Thanatos could see Zagreus’ hands were red and raw from hours of unnecessary training. His words had hurt Zagreus’ more than any weapon could have. He managed to lift himself onto one elbow so he could see Zagreus better.

“It’s true that I was angry when you disappeared, when you told me your plans, but it’s also true that I care for you Zagreus, I care—deeply” 

Zagreus arms fell by his side, "when—when I saw you in Charon's boat" his voice trailed off but Thanatos stayed silent, he could tell Zagreus was thinking. 

"That must be how you feel when you see me in the Styx" he continued. 

Thanatos nodded as well as he could, he could imagine the scene Zagreus had come upon. Charon in the House for once, him sprawled out on a bench, ichor everywhere, Hermes nervously pacing. He had never gotten used to seeing Zagreus appear in the Styx as well. Every time he worried Zagreus wouldn't surface, not because he had escaped but because he had died—permanently. He knew it most likely wasn't possible but Zagreus also bled like a mortal so who knows what the Fates had in store. 

Zagreus shook his head, “it was terrible, that’s—that’s how you feel all the time? With me?”

Thanatos nodded again, “Everytime I come to help you and you’re injured, every time you die and appear in the Styx, it hurts me.” 

Zagreus grasped Than’s hands suddenly, and he looked up in surprise. Zagreus eyes were brimming with tears and any trace of anger Thanatos had left disappeared. It was the face of a young man who had suddenly realized the pain he had caused and regretted it instantly. 

“I thought I lost you Than” Zagreus sobbed, tears flowing down his face.

Thanatos reached over to brush the tears from Zagreus’ face.

“Shhhh I’m here now, and—I’m sorry” he said quietly his thumb brushing Zagreus’ cheek.

He gritted his teeth as Zagreus' weight fell on him in an attempt at a hug. It hurt but he didn’t care, Zagreus’ arms wrapped around him and the sobs slowly fell silent into his shoulder. Several moments later Zagreus finally looked at him with a shaky smile.

"Thanks—for everything,” Zagreus said, still smiling, his eyes shining with the tears.

Thanatos reached up to run his hands through his hands through Zag’s dark hair, Nyx’s words still ringing in his ears. Zagreus shivered, “Than—?” 

“Zagreus” Thanatos sighed as he brought Zag’s lips down to meet his own. Still salty from tears but with the strong sweetness of pomegranate Zagreus always seemed to carry with him.

“Thanatos” Zagreus sighed back as he ran his own hand through Than’s silver hair, kissing him again and again. His hands started wandering down Than’s neck while his lips stayed firmly placed. 

Thanatos winced as Zagreus’ wandering hands reached his side. The bliss of kissing Zagreus had momentarily displaced the pain, but reality struck again. Zagreus sensed it and broke away, his cheeks red with embarrassment. 

“Maybe next time” Thanatos said smiling. He patted the empty side of the bed next to him, and Zagreus climbed in next to him and rested his head on Than’s chest, sighing with contentedness. Thanatos ran his hand through Zag’s hair again, it felt right, it felt natural. He was about to say something when a small sound escaped next to him. It was a snore, Zagreus had already fallen asleep. He could not stop himself from smiling again. He felt himself drifting off again, but this time his head and heart were free of pain. This time he dreamed of him and Zagreus together, for eternity. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, kudos and comments are always appreciated! You can find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/saucykaiju) or on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/loveaintforkeeping)!
> 
> P.S Nyx was referring to Persephone in her conversation with Than if that wasn't clear :)


End file.
